Catastrophic Injury Attorneys, Work Injury Lawyer, Serious Injury Lawyer

ATTORNEYS IN CHICAGO SERVICING PERSONAL INJURY & WORKERS COMPENSATION CASES.
TRASPORTATION INJURY LAWYERS
automobile collision, motorcycle collision, truck negligence, bicycle accident, pedestrian accident, train collisions, dog bites.
     
 

PERSONAL INJURY

Definition & Law
When a person is hurt because of someone else’s actions, negligence or reckless behavior—you have suffered a personal injury.  Personal injury law is also referred to as ‘tort law’ in the legal community.  Tort law is designed to protect you if are injured or harmed because of someone else’s act or failure to act.  A personal injury or a tort is not a criminal lawsuit; it is a civil cause of action where the wrongdoer compensates the victim monetarily. 

What is a plaintiff?
The plaintiff, also known as a claimant or complainant is the party who initiates a lawsuit, otherwise known as the injured party.

What is a defendant?
The defendant, also known as the defender is any party who is required to answer the complaint of a plaintiff or pursuer in a civil lawsuit before a court.

  Automobile Collision
  Motorcycle Collision
  Truck Negligence
  Bicycle Accident
  Pedestrian Accident
  Train Collisions
  Dog Bites
     

Compensation
Every personal injury or tort lawsuit has two basic issues—liability and damages.  If the defendant is liable (responsible) for your damages he or she is there liable for the extent of your damages. The justice system will then award you compensation for your loss. 
Both parties will then argue over the proper amount of damages, some easier to calculate then others.   Different degrees of fault exist and several fundamentals have to be determined before anyone can be awarded compensation.  There is often more than one person at fault, meaning both the defendant and plaintiff have contributed fault and/or multiple defendants may have contributed fault to the case. 
In general, there are several types of damages you may be entitled to:

  • Cost to repair/replace your property
  • Loss of normal life or disability
  • Pain & suffering
  • Medical bills
  • Lost wages
Depending on your case, you also may also be entitled to several other forms of compensation such as punitive damages.